Girlfriend Gives Lover Up To Police After Recognizing Him In A Police Plea

A rapist who pulled his victim by
her hair to a disused railway track and subjected her to a terrifying sex
attack was snared after his girlfriend recognised him in a police appeal. Brutal
Mark Wilkinson, 28, approached his victim – aged in her 50s – and asked where
she was going and if he could walk her home.

When she refused, he cycled ahead
and waited for the woman – before approaching her from behind and raping her
twice just after 10.30pm on Saturday, June 13. The court heard that his victim
– who cannot be named for legal reasons – feared for her life as he taunted her
during her ordeal.

After seeing a West Yorkshire
Police appeal, his girlfriend recognised the description and called her
sister-in-law, who had also seen the appeal – and called the police.

Wilkinson – who had earlier the
same night assaulted his girlfriend and punched a mirror – was handed a 14-year
extended sentence at Leeds Crown Court after admitting two charges of rape.

The court heard he has 26 previous
convictions for 43 offences including burglary, theft, handling stolen goods
and possessing drugs.

He was handed a 14-year prison
sentence with a four-year extended licence period. He will be in prison for at
least two thirds of the 14-year sentence and will only be released when the
parole board deem it is safe to do so.

“This was a truly horrifying
s3xual attack, every woman’s worst nightmare. You cycled ahead and lay in wait
for her… whilst you raped her you taunted her,” the court said.